National Republican., 1887-01-06
THE STATEN ISLAND BRIDGE.
Important Report by tho Secretary of
War.

The Secretary OF War transmitted to the
Senate, In response to a resolution Of that
body, the report Of the board Of engineers
for Notifications and river and harbor i'm
provements on the proposed bridge across
the Arthur Kill, Staten Island sound. The
report is accompanied by voluminous docu-
ments, giving In detail the data on which
the report is based.
II says that the amount OF freight which
annually passes the site OF the proposed
bridge across the Arthur Kill will approach
5,750,O0O or 10000 tons OF actual freight,
an amount In excess of the tonnage of for
eign commerce cleared from New York in
1885. IL is thus seen, says the report, that
so lar as tonnage is concerned this Is one OF
the great waterways Of this country, and,
indeed, OF the world. or this vast amount
OF freight probably nine-tenths Is In tows,
sometimes reaching seventy vessels to one
tow. The tows are usually made up with
five vessels abreast and are eight vessels
long, and their Dimensions are 100 to l25
feet In width by about 800 feet long. Under
the plan submitted by tho Staten Island
Rapid Transit Company such masses Of yes
sells are to pass through clear opening be-
tween piers about 200 feet wide.
The report says that the experience at the
draw at the mouth OF the Raritan river,
through which about one-third as much
freight passes as through the Arthur Kill,
and which has 207 feet draw opening, shows
that the draw at that place Is serious OBJ
struction to navigation and has caused con-
siderable losses from delays and collisions.
The tows to 60 north through the Arthur
XIII pass the proposed site Of the bridge
while the tide is running flood, and when
any collision would produce great damage.
They are much larger than those passing
through the Raritan draw, and II is imprac-
ticable for these large tows to anchor as the
smaller ones do at the Raritsn draw. The
board is therefore Of opinion that, II a
bridge were constructed as proposed, with
q pier in the middle Of the XIII, IL would
necessitate large reduction in the size OF
tows and the consequent increase
in the cost OF transportation, and IL Ii Of
opinion that IL there were a natural OBJ
struction 80 serious as pier In the middle
OF the stream It's removal would be urgently
and rightfully demanded, even at great
cost. The obstruction IL not there now,
and should not be placed there to the In
jury Of navigation, in order to save few
hundred thousand dollars to the railroad
company.
The proposed bridge. the report says Is
also OF insufficient height, the lowest part
OF the structure being but "a feet inches
above mean low water.
VI ehSoc iSuooho bhc bOhiu icCOulmtuuo
to the Secretary of War bridge at the site
proposed, the channel face Of whose east
pier shall be on the Staten Island bulkhead
or shore line, and whose channel span shall
give clear opening Of 450 feet; whose
span next west shall be draw span, giving
1876 feet clear opening, the lowest parts OF
those spans being so feet above mean high
water.
The foundation of the pier should be so
arranged as to admit future deepening of
the XIII to 20 feet.
"Such bridge will be an obstruction
and an inconvenience" the report says,
'but will not In any serious degree Increase
the cost Of transportation. 1t involves
some increase Of cost TO the railroad com
pany, but no more than 1t should bear
rather than infringe on the pre-existing
rights Of navigation"
A draw bridge on the proposed Buck.
wheat Island site, the report says, would
be impracticable for the reason that the
channel has but six feet Of water on one
side, and on the other side the channel Il
narrower than at the site recommended.